Says law excludes recidivists, habitual delinquents, escapees and persons charged with heinous crimes
(Eagle News)–Former Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez is not eligible for release under the Good Conduct Time Allowance Law.
This was the statement of the Palace, amid public outrage over the possibility the former mayor who was convicted of the murder and rape of Aileen Sarmenta and the murder of her friend Allan Gomez in the 1990s, could be released.
This was after the Supreme Court in June ruled that the law should be applied retroactively to cover inmates whose final judgment was meted out prior to the enactment of the law in 2013.
“A review of Republic Act No. 10592 or the law on (GCTA), which amends the Revised Penal Code on the computation of the duration of imprisonment based on an offender’s good conduct, reveals that it is categorical in excluding recidivists, habitual delinquents, escapees and persons charged with heinous crimes from the benefit of its coverage. This is the letter and the spirit of the law,” Panelo, who was one of several lawyers of Sanchez at that time, said.
According to Panelo, the “inevitable conclusion” then is that “all those convicted of a heinous crime, including Mr. Antonio Sanchez, would be ineligible and disqualified from availing (of) the benefits of the GCTA.”
In any case, the Palace expressed support for a review of the GCTA law.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Senate President Tito Sotto have already filed resolutions to this effect.
The Palace also gave the assurance that “while the Executive branch is constrained to grant the benefit of the GCTA, it will only grant it to those who are entitled to such benefit.”
“As we have said, our task is to merely execute what the laws … as they stand. We reiterate, however, that while the Executive branch has no discretion in the implementation of the GCTA, the law still allows for the proper evaluation of inmates to ensure their proper coverage,” Panelo said.
